Houston Rockets Have Lots to Be Thankful For, Starting with Daryl Morey

When Shane Battier was first traded to the Rockets, people questioned if it would benefit Houston.

When the Rockets picked up Aaron Brooks in the NBA draft, people began asking the same sort of questions.

But Daryl Morey, Houston’s general manager, had faith throughout it all; and that faith is beginning to pay off in dividends on the hardwood.

Battier, no doubt, is the floor general for the Rockets; and oh yeah, the guy can drain threes and drive to the basket as well. He’s also a really good free throw shooter.

And Brooks, no doubt, is the future of the Rockets; in addition to putting up solid numbers point-wise, Brooks has also had numerous games dishing off double-digit assists.

But today we’re not here to talk about Brooks or Battier or T-Mac or any other Rocket for that matter.

We’re here to talk about the man behind all of Houston’s magical moments: the Rockets GM, Daryl Morey; and we’re going to make this short but sweet.

According to Wikipedia , Morey has built a Rockets team with a combined 108-56 record since succeeding Carroll Dawson as GM in May 2007 (he was named assistant GM in April 2006).

On top of that, Morey is also the one responsible for molding the Rockets current roster, from Trevor Ariza to Brooks to Battier; and he’s built a very deep and talented team.

Through just his first two seasons as Houston’s GM, Morey has also collected numerous accolades, including being named NBA Executive of the Year, the “Top 55 Most Influential in Basketball,” and the “Ten Most Creative People in Sports.”

Fans and sportswriters alike have to love this guy as well in terms of how he breaks everything down game by game; not only is Morey a GM that overlooks how the team is built, he’s a part of the team in every way, form, and fashion.

And many times, I personally view Morey as more of a Houston coach than the Rockets GM.

Just as an example, let’s look back at Houston’s latest matchup, a game the Rockets lost in a blowout at Toyota Center to the intrastate rival Dallas Mavericks.

“[It’s] humbling; credit Dallas, a very good team,” Morey said through his Twitter account following Wednesday’s loss. “We need to be stronger on defense when Chuck [Hayes is] out of [the] game. So far, [that] has not happened. [We] need to bounce back Friday.”

Morey: not only managing the Rockets but also a student of the game of basketball, learning more and more every step of the way.

However you look at it, Morey is a genius and the Rockets have the best damn GM in all of sports.